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Publisher's Summary

Daisy Flattery is a free spirit with a soft spot for strays and a weakness for a good story. Why else would she agree to the outrageous charade offered by her buttoned-down workaholic neighbor, Linc Blaise? The history professor needs to have a fiancée in order to capture his dream job, and Daisy is game to play the role. But something funny happens on their way to the altar that changes everything. Now, with the midnight hour approaching, will Daisy lose her prince, or will opposites not only attract but live happily ever after?

The narrator has a nice, strong voice and does a fine job with the story. I usually listen to audiobooks while I occupy myself doing chores or walking. However, this time I simply listened to the last 2 hours of the book while sitting quietly with my eyes shut. It was a great way to experience the story, being immersed in it. I felt the anxiety of both Linc and Daisy as they came to grips with their feelings while trying to understand what best to do about them. Linc turns out to be a great hero, and Daisy is equally wonderful.

This book is different than the other lighthearted contemporaries I've read by Jennifer Crusie, although Bet Me had some serious moments. The Cinderella Deal is certainly humorous, even laugh-out-loud at times, but the humor is laced with poignancy. This story about two mismatched people trying to work things out could have been simply another zany tale of opposites attracting, clashing, and finally getting it right. But for Linc and Daisy, getting it right was at times a painful experience. Both struggle with who they think they are suppose to be, and who they think the other person is. I've read several fun books with the basic "pretend fiance/spouse" plot line, but I've never gotten so caught up in the characters or their feelings. This book may be a fairly short, easy read, but it certainly has depth.

Over the last few years when I have been in the mood for a fun, easy read, I turned to a handful of Crusie books I happened on in the local library and was delighted by her light-hearted romps with their gutsy, witty and sexy women. But this one was very disappointing. The two main characters didn't feel work for me at all; and there was little of the edgy humor found in the other (newer) stories that I had read. As the conclusion approached I couldn't wait for it to end. Afterwards I looked at the actual publisher's date--1996; perhaps it was an early work and Crusie's writing and storytelling skills were still immature. There was nothing really wrong with the reader, but somehow her interpretation of Daisy just made the character that much more...well, flat. Not recommended.